Platinum Equity combined two of its holding to form “Chassix,” a company named to emphasize its expertise in producing automotive chassis components — and an “X” to signify “a multiplier of the new company’s size and strength … (and) mission to exceed customer expectations.”

Latest Auto Supply Chain Entry Emphasizes Chassis

The prospect of an integrated manufacturing organization with casting and machining capabilities continues to draw investors. The latest is Platinum Equity, which has combined its Diversified Machine Inc. and SMW Automotive LLC holdings into a $1.2-billion global enterprise with 3,600 employees at 25 plants in eight countries. Chassix, as the new company is called, calls itself the largest chassis casting and machining company in the global automotive supply chain.

The headquarters are in Troy and Wixom, MI, but other operations are in Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and offshore in Brazil (two plants), China (three plants,) France, Mexico, and Spain.

“There is a huge demand for high-quality, advanced casting and machining suppliers, particularly those that are skilled in casting traditional ductile iron as well as those able to meet the growing demand for precisely machined lightweight aluminum components,” stated Robert J. Remenar, Chassix president and CEO. “The automotive industry was missing a truly global player with the full service capabilities and operations to serve manufacturers on global platforms, and now Chassix fills that role.”

The new company’s products are not only chassis components (upper and lower control arms assemblies, front and rear cross members, front and rear steering knuckles, and more), but also brake parts knuckles and spindles, brake calipers and park brakes, rotors, and more), and powertrain products (engine blocks, intake manifolds, cylinder heads, transmission housings, and more.)